Library of Congress Classification for the Academic Library

Gabriel Naude", as early as 1627, advised on the arrangement of books in a library as follows: The seventh point .... is that of the Order and Disposition which Books ought to observe in a Library; .... for without this, doubtless, all inquiring is to no purpose, and our labour fruitless; seeing Books are for no other reason laid and reserved in this place, but that they may be serviceable upon such occasions as present themselves; Which thing it is notwithstanding impossible to effect, unless they be ranged, and disposed according to the variety of their subjects, or in such other sort, as that they may easily be found, as soon as named. I affirm, moreover, that without this Order and disposition, be the collection of Books whatever, were it of fifty thousand volumes, it would no more merit the name of a Library, than an assembly of thirty thousand men the name of an Army, unlesse they be martially in their several quarters, under the conduct of their Chiefs and Captains; or a vast heap of stones and materials, that of a Palace or a house, till they be placed and put together according to rule, to make a perfect and accomplished structure. * Three hundred years later classification of books is still a live subject, and largely for the same reason: "that they [the books] may be serviceable upon such occasions as present themselves". Though it is a live subject, and one of the most powerful tools in libraries, it is surprising how little seems to have been published considering its long history on book classification, how little has been published on the Library of Congress classification, how very little on L.C. classification in the academic library, and how very, very little on "L.C. Classification in the Modern Academic Library."published or submitted for publicatio